The present invention relates to a striping apparatus for circular knitting machines and particularly a striping apparatus installed on a circular knitting machine for feeding discolored yarns.
In the present techniques for circular knitting machines to do jacquard knitting of fabrics with different colors, it is generally done by installing a striping apparatus above the yarn feeding aperture. During knitting operations, the striping apparatus feeds colored yarns at desired times to the yarn feeding aperture for the knitting needles to pick up and to include in the knitting operations to produce jacquard patterns of different colors.
It happens that some striping apparatus are not properly installed. As a result, when the operator of the knitting machine performs repairs or replaces parts, the entire striping apparatus has to be removed. It incurs a lot of inconveniences. In conventional knitting machines, some striping apparatus are installed adjacent to the knitting needles and straddle the push needle cam of the upped needle dial. When to do color jacquard knitting, the yarn guiding element of the striping apparatus feeds the color yarn above the knitting needle so that the knitting needle picks up the color yarn to include in the knitting operation. However, when there is a requirement to replace or repair the needle cylinder, knitting needles, upper needle dial, sinker plate and push needle cam, the entire striping apparatus has to be removed. It causes a great inconvenience to the operator of the knitting machine, and results in waste of time and productive operations. Moreover, the installation of the striping apparatus mentioned above leaves no additional space in the knitting machine to change another set of components such as the needle cylinder, knitting needles, upper needle dial, sinker plate and push needle cam to knit different types of fabrics.
Therefore the primary object of the invention is to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages. The striping apparatus of the invention has redesigned needle cylinder, knitting needles, upper needle dial, sinker plate and push needle cam so that when there is a need to do replacement, repairs, or removing of the floss, the striping apparatus can be removed easily or even remain without being removed. As a result, replacement, repairs, or removing the floss becomes much easier. In addition, the knitting machine has an additional space for changing to another set of needle cylinder, knitting needles, upper needle dial, sinker plate and push needle cam to knit different types of fabrics.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the striping apparatus of the invention includes a control mechanism, an operation mechanism driven by the control mechanism, an adjusting mechanism mounted onto the control mechanism and a release mechanism located in the operation mechanism. The striping apparatus is installed on a knitting machine and is controlled by the yarn releasing and receiving cam and the color selection device, and may feed different colored yarns to the knitting needles to produce striped jacquard knitting fabrics.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.